1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for filing and reproducing images, and more particularly, to such novel apparatus and methods for generating, storing, and reproducing electronic image files of original information, such as documents or photographs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when such documents or photographs are stored as image data, the original image information is electronically processed in accordance with a generalized image format or a particular type of image format. These conventional image formats perform encoding on the entire image information under a uniform resolution or a uniform compression method.
Thus, the conventional electronic processing cannot change the resolution or compression method so as to encode an important portion of the original information under a high resolution, while an unimportant portion is encoded under a low resolution, in order to increase compression efficiency of data.
Furthermore, when the original image includes many types of information, such as documents and photographs, the conventional method cannot increase the compression efficiency of data by partially changing encoding resolution or a compression method for each portion of the document and photographs, based on the characteristics of the information.
Furthermore, it is impossible for the conventional apparatus and method to provide an external reference in order to incorporate an image being stored in another image file as a part its own image and display the images.
Thus, it is impossible for conventional image filing devices to perform encoding and electronically processing the images by partially changing the resolution or compression ratio into a different value based on each part of the original information. Furthermore, the conventional image filing devices cannot provide exterior references from another image file.